I had a very severe attack of asthma and as a result, my peak flow readings dropped down to somewhere near 40 points of the red zone. So, I was admitted to the hospital and the doctor has advised to drop all my plans of going to California. Oh, I am so disappointed but then I know that I am really sick. I have been discharged yesterday. The peak flow readings are still only in the yellow zone and I still experience breathlessness which I know generally comes when you start using the P puffs instead of being given steroids through IV. Before I was discharged, the doctor gave me a dose of Medrol PO at 11 in the morning after having been administered a 60 mg dose in the morning at 6 am. Soon after, the nurse asked me whether I would like to go home at 4 in the evening after dinner. Well, I am quite confused. When I asked my doctor before the weekend if I could go home he categorically told me that my lungs were congested and did not sound too good and that it would be ‘dangerous’ to discharge me. So I had to stay back, and now after four days in the hospital I am suddenly being sent home the next day. What’s with them? I did ask them why I was kept back all weekend, but though the nurse seemed quite understanding, I never got a proper reply to my question. This particular hospital generally takes really good care of me but somehow I am pretty disgruntled this time. You know it’s so difficult to be sent packing home and asked to breathe! Have any of you ever felt that this process of discharge and the follow up sessions are totally disorganized and sort of lacking in continuity? You know I feel that the first 24 hours at home is a really unstable period of time as far as I am concerned. What do you say?
